Asia-Pacific Region Final Session

Date: 2015-5-13

The Asia-Pacific Region was in turn divided into 11 session groups (ex. water and cities, water and green growth) and each group had discussions on a certain theme revolving around the solution of water problems.

» Photos of each session can be seen from the APWF facebook .

The results of each session were further discussed at the final session of the Asia-Pacific Region, which was held towards the end of the forum as follows.

» Final Report: The Asia-Pacific Regional Process for the 7th World Water Forum
» Annexes

Date & Time Wednesday, 15th April 2015, 14:40~19:00
Venue B1F convention C room, Hotel Hyundai GyeongJu, GyeongJu City in Republic of Korea
Organizer Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF)
Co-Chairs Mr. Yoshiro Mori, President of the APWF
Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Chair of the APWF Governing Council

Program

Time Program Speakers
14:40 Opening remarks Mr. Yoshiro Mori, President, APWF, to be represented by Dr. Kotaro Takemura, Secretary General, Japan Water Forum as Secretariat of APWF
14:45 Remarks Dr. Jung-moo Lee, President, KWF
14:50 Regional Water Security Status
Introduction
Mr. Gil-Hong Kim, Senior Director, Sector Advisory Service Division, Regional and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
Asian Water Development Outlook
Ms. Yasmin Siddiqi, Principal Water Resources Specialist, Sector Advisory Service Division, Regional and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
15:05 Regional Synthesis
Water and Cities
Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Deputy Director, UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
Water and Green Growth
・Dr. Salmah Zakaria, Economic Affairs Officer, ESCAP
・Mr. Tae-sun Shin, Head Manager, Research Center for Water Policy and Economy, K-water Research Institute
Water and Food Security
Mr. Thierry Facon, Senior Water Management Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Water related Disasters and Climate Change
Dr. Ramesh Ananda Vaidya, Senior Advisor, ICIMOD
Integrated Water Resources Management
Mr. Koichiro Omoto, NARBO Secretariat
Rural Water and Sanitation
Ms. Hilda Winartasaputra, Regional WASH Specialist, Plan International Asia Regional Office
Development of Cooperation in the Aral Sea Basin
Dr. Vadim Sokolov, Regional Coordinator, GWP CACENA
Trans-boundary River in Northeast Asia
・Dr. Deukkoo Koh, Secretary General, KWF
・Dr. Sangyoung Park, Executive Director, KWF
Japan- Korea- China Trilateral Cooperation
Ms. Yuko Akita, Director of Economic Affairs, Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat
Hydrological Services
Dr. Sung Kim, Senior Research Fellow, Hydro Science and Engineering Research Institute, KICT
The Caribbean and the Pacific
Dr. Jose Luis Martin Bordes, Programme Officer, Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance, UN-HABITAT
16:40 Break
17:00 Summary of Asia-Pacific regional outcomes Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Chair of the APWF Governing Council
17:10 Regional Commitments (High-level Dialogue)
Moderators:
・Ms. Changhua Wu, Vice Chair, APWF Governing Council
・Prof. Simon SC Tay, Vice Chair, APWF Governing Council
Panelists:
Mr. Khayrullo Ibodzoda, Chairman of the Committee on Environment Protection under the Government of Republic of Tajikistan
・Dr. Keizrul Bin Abdullah, Chairperson, Network of Asian River Basin Organizations
・Dr. Uschi Eid, Chair of United Nations Secretary-Generals’ Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB)
・Mr. Gil-Hong Kim, Senior Director, Sector Advisory Service Division, Regional and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
・Mr. Shigeo Mizutani, President and Representative Director, Swing Corporation
・Mr. Mark Pascoe, Chief Executive Officer, International WaterCentre
・Mr. Ponce Ernest Samaniego, ADB Youth Coordinator / International Youth Steering Committee
・Ms. Jayamala Subramaniam, Chief Executive Officer, Arghyam Foundation
18:40 Audience interactions
18:55 Closing Mr. Ravi Narayanan, Chair of the APWF Governing Council

Themes and summary of the Session Group

Session Group Group members
No. theme
1 Water and Cities UNESCO, PUB, UN-Habitat, UN ESCAP, APCWS, SUEZ Environment, UNSGAB, RCUWM-Tehran
The aim of this session was to guide the road towards a new transformation in urban water management and towards a more consistent and integrated approach based on innovative measures including eco-technologies and eco-hydrology concepts. A white paper was produced to guide policy makers in their choice for technologies and more sustainable urban water solutions.
2 Water and Green Growth ESCAP, K-water, UN ESCAP, FAO
The session was committed to bring together various stakeholders together to realize a more effective, holistic and over-arching management of water resources. Through the dynamic participation, the session conducted discussions and dialogues on overlapping policies and required tradeoffs between each of the water sub-sectors and the various economic activities on the use and need for water.
3 Water and Food Security FAO, ICID, ICIMOD, MANCID, ADB, GWP,
The aim was to support investments for rural transformations, boosting ecosystem and water productivity resilience and maintaining water quality across agriculture and fisheries. Finally, sound and innovative water accounting was implemented to support decision-making and management.
4 Water and Climate Change ICIMOD, ICHARM, ESCAP, GWP, Water Youth Network
The objective of the session was to present to the scientific community and to the decision-makers in the governments of the region evidence-based case analyses and their policy implications. The output from the session was an understanding among the stakeholders in the region and changing perspectives in disaster risk management in the context of climate resilience building—and appropriate ways to synergize the two.
5 Integrated Water Resources Management NARBO, UNESCO, UN ESCAP, GWP
To achieve better integrated water resources management, a short report of IWRM in Asia-Pacific region, highlighting necessary steps for progress had been developed and clear messages to Politicians/ Decision Makers based on key lessons extracted from good case-examples / innovative activities on IWRM in Asia Pacific region.
6 Rural Water and Sanitation PLAN International, ADB
The session provided an overview of progress and challenges to achieving Asia’s sanitation goals and targets. The participants had opportunities to engage in a lively debate on increasing collaboration and partnership between governments, civil society and the private sector on rural sanitation solutions. The successful youth-led sanitation project was also presented within the session, representing its activity through the Youth WASH Solutions Awarding.
7 Environmental Security in Central Asia GWP CACENA, EC IFAS
In order to implement efficient solutions, the session was identified and promoted new solutions allowing a renewed agenda for action to mitigate consequences of the environmental catastrophe in the Aral Sea Basin. A plan of Action was designed with elements of implementation guidelines to build consensus on water-related issues in Central Asia.
8 Integrated Ecosystem Management of Trans-boundary River in Northeast Asia KWF, UNOPs, Shangri-La Institute for Sustanable Communities, Tibet University
As a regional initiative of Northeast Asia, “Integrated Ecosystem Management of Trans-boundary River” would be an adequate session topic for embarking on a sustainable discussion platform on integrated rivers in the Asia Pacific region.
9 Hydrological Services in Asia under Rapidly Changing Conditions KICT, WMO RA-II (Asia) Working Group on Hydrological Services
The objectives of the session were to explore the on-going hydrological efforts to improve hydrological practices in Asia region and provision of the opportunities to develop collaborating projects among the Asia Pacific countries. The session contributed to improve the hydrological services as well as to accomplish the proposed targets of the forum in the region.
10 China Korea Japan Trilateral Forum Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat
The Trilateral Forum on Water Resources was held for a good setup to introduce the trilateral cooperation in water resources area as one of the best practices in Asia Pacific region. The Trilateral Forum invited the Ministers of the three countries for their speeches and also gathered governors, experts and relevant organizations to discuss the current agenda concerned by the three governments.
11 Inter-regional session for the Caribbean and the Pacific GWOPA/UN-Habitat, Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA), Caribbean Water & Sewerage Association (CAWASA), Pacific Water and Wastes Association (PWWA), etc
Small islands states in the Caribbean and the Pacific shared common challenges caused by similar geographical situation, one of which is that they are most vulnerable to impacts of climate change. The objective of the session was to create the platform for cooperation between two regions for facilitating more useful exchanges of knowledge, experiences and expertise.

Exhibition of the APWF

In the Expo&Fair, secretariat of the APWF exhibited the booth for the APWF jointly with the Korea Water Forum with the purpose of (1) dissemination of the APWF and (2) raising the public awareness for the water issue in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the APWF booth, pamphlets or catalogue of the APWF member were distributed and DVD show and poster panel for the introduction of the APWF activities was prepared.
Date Sunday, 12th April ~ Friday, 17th April, 2015
Venue 3rd floor EXCO, Daegu City in Republic of Korea
Co-Exhibitor Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) and Korea Water Forum (KWF)
Number of visitors 22,000 (whole Exco)

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